Public Policy and Management at Murdoch University

Course Description

Policy-making aims to address social, environmental and economic issues that impact society. The Master of Public Policy and Management enables students to make a contribution to many complex policy problems in the contemporary world. Students who complete this course are highly sought after in government, the public sector, the not-for-profit sector and the business world.

We’ve worked closely with government, the public sector and industry contacts to design this course to help you make a difference in your public policy career. You’ll get the knowledge and skills you need to analyse, design and implement policy in complex institutional and regulatory environments.

The course offers professional-based electives including project management, ethics in government, and leading and managing non-government organisations.

You can also choose policy-based electives to specialise in areas such as energy policy, environmental impact and management, health policy and law, or add up to two language units in either Indonesian or Japanese. 

9 reasons to study a Master of Public Policy Management at Murdoch

• Take on a professional internship or practical project to put your learning into practice as you gain academic credit. Past students have interned with the WA State Parliament and public sector agencies, and researched real-world policy problems.
• Travel to Indonesia as part of the Study Indonesia Australian Consortium for 'In-Country' Indonesian Studies (ACICIS) program and earn credits towards your Master and put your learning into practice.
• Classes are delivered in a workshop mode so you can actively contribute and connect with other students in discussions and engage with our academics.
• Learn from our academics who are actively involved in research in the areas of public sector ethics, corruption, citizenship, public sector reform and international public administration.
• Choose to study full-time, part-time or off-campus, with some subjects offered online to help you fit study into your working life. If you’re an international student, you’ll need to study full-time to meet your visa requirements.
• Classes are offered at a range of times with both intensive and traditional offerings available.
• Get involved in free workshops and seminars to help you with writing, policy research and analysing data, ethical decision making, how to run surveys and research as a postgraduate student.
• You’ll be taught by leading academics with extensive experience in not-for-profit organisations and across the Australian public sector.
• Follow in the footsteps of other Murdoch free thinkers who are now working with the various local and state departments and the public sector.

Develop your skills

Build essential skills and knowledge to meet your career or study goals. Topics you’ll cover include:

• public policy and international affairs
• public policy perspectives
• comparative governance
• public administration
• public sector management.

Your career

If you’re a recent graduate expanding your knowledge, or a professional exploring a new career direction, this course will enhance your professional skills and provide a competitive edge in your career.

You could pursue a career in the public sector, the not-for-profit sector or in roles at the intersection between government and business.